To Romance Your Betrayer
by SherrineShan
Summary: How far would you go for love? If your loved one betrayed your trust or love for better gains, how would you live with the pain of betrayal?    A Yoshimo-PC fanfic.   Note: He does not die in the fanfiction, neither is there a geas.
1. Chapter 1

**CHAPTER ONE - Distorted Truths**

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Elouise Cyrianna was born Elina Cyana. She was of Kara-Tur descent; yet she had never travelled there before. Though she was far from petite, she had a weak soul and body; deeming her only able to focus her mind and spirit in the learning of arcane magic: she was a sorceress. Intelligent in the art of magic, she was unfortunately indecisive and confused in her thoughts and action. She often made the wrong choices. Firstly, it was Laran.

She had met the young and handsome knight at an inn and proclaimed love for him, only to get drunk with him in his room and had him gone in the morning. She felt defiled, not understanding what she had done wrong to deserve this "punishment", she called it. She cried out her heart to Jaheira, the dominant female half-elf in her party who was the strongest female she had ever known, being a spellcaster of divine magic as well as a ruthless fighter. The other female was an elven mage cum cleric, who she had dumped from the party for another cleric named Viconia, who she had to save from the sadists who had wanted to put her for death due to her Drow nature. Drows are dark elves who are looked down on by society. Elly couldn't take Aerie's nonsensical constant moaning over the loss of her wings.

A few weeks later, a twist of fate had allowed her to meet the sneaky yet devilish-looking Yoshimo at the Copper Coronet, an inn located in the midst of the Slums district in Athkatla, the capital of Amn. She admitted she hadn't had a proper look at him while at Irenicus' dungeon as it had been quite dark, but from the mere moment she set her eyes on Yoshimo, under the perfect lighting in the Coronet, she had fallen head over heels in love with the bounty hunter. She had wanted to just wrap her arms around him and hold him tight to her all day long, without being bothered about what she was expected to do as the group leader. But being a sorceress, she didn't have the courage of a fighter to actually proclaim her admiration for him.

Laran was gone, and Yoshimo was with her now. She wondered if there was a Fate Spirit, so she could thank him for letting her be acquainted with one of the most good-looking young men of the present. Why, she could just stare at his sleeping figure the whole night long!

"God" seemed to answer her prayers when one day, out of nowhere, Yoshimo teased her into admitting she was, in fact, awaiting a "visitor", to which he hinted he would come to her the next night. Indeed he did, and the two of them enjoyed an unforgettable night. However, judging by the fact that she did sleep with Laran the Knight, she hadn't expected what was in tow for her that night. Blood stains, pains like being knifed repeatedly, she felt as if it was her first time encountering all this. But hadn't she "done that" with Laran? She hadn't wanted to give herself to Laran at all. She had gotten drunk beyond her own self-control, waking up bare and empty, without a trace of Laran at all. He hadn't told her where he had left, but he had left a letter of apology for robbing her of her purity and innocence. Tears streaming down her cheeks, she forced herself into her robes and left Laran's room feeling worse than a harlot. And Yoshimo didn't seem to mind her at all; whether she was pure and untouched like a lotus, or not.

Elly breathed a sigh of relief when Yoshimo took no serious notice of the stains on the sheets. She wondered if Yoshimo knew where they were from. During her early teens, she had known about what was termed "bed activities". It was a hot topic she often discussed with Imoen, given Imoen naughty "thieving" nature. How she missed Imoen. Imoen had been arrested along with their captor, Jon Irenicus by the Cowled Wizards of Athkatla, government officers placed in charge of unlicensed arcane magic. According to the law, Imoen and their captor had no license to the use of arcane magic (which Elly had now) and this was why they were jailed.

She had met Yoshimo, the thief of her heart, in a dark dungeon which she believed was Jon Irenicus' lair. They left through a hidden portal in the dungeon. Irenicus was an evil Elven mage who probably took joy in seeing people tortured. He had Jaheira's husband Khalid killed and then chopped to pieces, while he pervertedly forced Imoen to watch. He also had Dynaheir killed before Minsc. Minsc was a Rashemen ranger and an old friend of Elly. Dynaheir was a witch in his care, and with his death, Minsc failed his mission to protect her with his life. Minsc was also deeply in love with Dynaheir. He also liked Aerie and was considering having her as his new witch, but sadly, Elly had to let her go to protect Viconia, which was often at odds with formerly, the evil dwarf Korgan, and then, his replacement, paladin Keldorn. Both had joined, one after another, for their respective quests.

Elly cried out again and again in the middle of the night, as Yoshimo didn't seem to be capable of stopping. Gritting her teeth to hold back the tears, she stared blankly at the wall. As she had her back facing Yoshimo, he wouldn't be able to see the tired and painful expression plastered across her face. She had never expected the pain to be so excruciating at first. At first, it had been some mere bloodshed, and it had continued to what felt like being shot by countless arrows. Yoshimo seemed oblivious to her cries and had probably thought them to be passionate cries of pleasure. But she loved him deeply and continued to let him enjoy hurting her. Finally, Yoshimo stopped, conquered by weariness. "Turn off the lights," he said, sinking into a deep sleep.

As if defying his request, or rather, immobile from the pain, Elly stared at the deep-in-slumber Yoshimo. With his sparkling eyes and his seductive lips shut, his body tilted to one side with his arms at his sides, she found him hard to resist. Yoshimo's eyes flew open, giving her a surprise.

"The lights, girl,"he snapped impatiently, "the lights."

Obediently, she reached out, painfully, to douse the lamp. "Yes, I forgot. Please pardon me."

Yoshimo stared at her for a while. Then, as if understanding her pain, he turned her towards the wall and hugged her protectively from behind. "Good night, Miss Leader."

As Yoshimo drifted into slumber she wondered if he had ever treated her as his leader at all, or just some weak female who couldn't wield a blade at all. She kept her jewel embedded dagger in the drawer beside her bed. Mages and sorcerers weren't meant for wielding melee weapons, other than quarterstaffs, slings and daggers.

She envied Jaheira, who was capable of wielding various melee weapons ranging from the sling, light as it was, to the heavy clubs and even the spear. And yet, Jaheira maintained her grace. She couldn't deny Jaheira's beauty, inner and outer, was unsurpassed. She thought about the men who had fallen to Jaheira, in love and in battle. Yet, Jaheira had eyes only for Khalid, despite what he had done to her. First, he had cheated on her, then some enemy had transformed him into an undead monster, and Elly had killed him. However, in order to bring him back to life, Jaheira bartered her life with the spirit who had the essence which could resurrect him and bring him back to normal. In return for the essence, the spirit had her drink poisoned ale. Jaheira fell into a comatose state for a number of hours. Touched by Jaheira's undying courage and sincerity, the spirit agreed to give Jaheira the essence as well as the antidote to the poison.

It was a number of months after their success when Irenicus had taken them hostage. From the description the dryads had given them, the old elven mage was by no doubts an evil pervert, with countless fetishes. The dryads had been his pleasure slaves, and they could only seek freedom with the acorns, which Elly had passed to the Dryad Queen at the Faerie Grove near Garren Windspear's home. Garren Windspear was the true owner of the Windspear Hills, which had been taken over by the red dragon Fikraag in disguise. With the help of Yoshimo's deadly snares, as well as the dwarf Korgan and Minsc in tow, they had subdued the evil red dragon. The sleeping dragon had not expected to run into booby traps in his own lair. While Korgan smacked him with his axe, and Minsc slashed at him with his sentient sword, Elly had broken through his spell protections and magical resistances with her spellcasting. Jaheira and Viconia did the healing while hidden by the bushes. They barely escaped unscathed, but they were rewarded handsomely with the death of the dragon. The dragon's scales had made a wonderful fire resistant armor, and from his possession the group had obtained a magnificient two-handed sword, which Elly later presented to the paladin Keldorn.

Yoshimo had indeed benefited in their adventures, but she wondered about the bounty hunter's previous adventures in Kara-Tur. She had heard tales of the land where everyone seemed to be "of one race". They shared a similar culture, though of slightly different race, they looked the same. Sharp noses, narrow eyes, slender figures, they were. She wondered if she had deviated from having the looks of an actual Kara-Tur descendant. After all, her predecessors had intermarried, hadn't they? Furthermore, she was a Bhaalspawn. Her tainted blood often brought fear to her, fear that she would one day wake up and turn into a monster. She shivered at the thought.

Yoshimo's arms tightened around her, causing her to cease her thinking and submit to the darkness of the night.

Meanwhile, in the room opposite, Jaheira instinctively knew what Elly was going through. She had never trusted Yoshimo, though Minsc seemed to like him very well. Though she didn't trust Yoshimo, she believed that Elly loved him deeply. Elly had been like a younger sister to Jaheira all along. She didn't bother about Elly's tainted blood at all. Bhaalspawn or not; she was still Elly. Jaheira sighed deeply. Despite being an "elder sister" to Elly, she hadn't been entirely honest with Elly.

Her memories returned to flashbacks of the night Laran had supposedly bedded Elly. She had snuck into the room, where both Laran and Elly had been overly drunk, to the extent that they had blurred visions, or rather, hallucinations. Laran reminded her of Khalid. She didn't know why, but the knight's touch had her aroused. Then she heard him say the words "I prefer these long periods of relaxation. Lovely day for it." These words were undoubtedly Khalid's own words. Laran was very like Khalid. He had a kind heart and nervous character; often stuttering while talking to Elly for the first time. Feeling empty and lonely with the absence of Khalid, she herself had taken Laran into her arms and for the first time after Khalid's departure, had succumbed to worldly desires. In fact, she was the one who had "done it" with Laran, not Elly. However she had made it appear that Laran had bedded Elly, by undressing Elly and messing the things in the room. She feared the truth would come to light, and that Elly would blame her for "stealing" Laran. Laran was Elly's first love, after all.

Jaheira had never felt herself so selfish in her life; to be worried about her own benefits, to make Elly feel she was the one cheapening herself instead of Jaheira by having the affair, and to have never spoken a word about the whole affair to Elly. She felt unworthy, as Khalid's wife, and as Elly's friend. But she still hoped she would be leader. Someday.


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER TWO Roots**

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"You have Kara-Tur roots?"

Elly arose from her sleep to realize Yoshimo had discovered her secret dagger and was scrutinizing it. She smiled weakly and nodded. It was not easy for Yoshimo to have guessed the true nature of her heritage. Only a Kara-Turan himself would have known the dagger's origins.

"This dagger is a symbol of loyalty to your partner," he told her, "and truth, as well as innocence." Elly lost herself among her thoughts. She felt bad about not keeping herself pure for Yoshimo.

"Yoshimo," Elly asked, "Why did you become a bounty hunter?"

Yoshimo was about to evade her question but halted abruptly, and decided to come clean with his leader. "I was from a poor family," he said. "Other than me, I have two younger sisters and a brother. I feared for my ailing parents' safety and didn't wish to see my siblings sold into prostitution or slavery, so I.. I joined a secret society."

Elly looked shocked, but urged him to continue with his story.

"Don't fret," he continued. "Although it is lawfully a secret society, the members are like the Shadow Thieves of Athkatla - concerned about the greater good. They help the innocent, self- proclaim themselves as do-gooders, but one day, something happened.

"My leader was assasinated by one of his 'brothers', who wanted the position of leader for himself. That was when the society went astray. There was no longer a boundary between bad and good anymore. The members of the society just went around killing others for their own self- benefit. Everything was a pack of lies. And just then, I received a letter.

"It was from a noble who was seeking revenge for the murder of his daughter. This Sir Oyuchi wished me to offer 'my services' to claim the bounty on that evil murderer's head. And at the same time, he was willing to sponsor my siblings' education.

"So together with a group of comrades from the society, we claimed the bounty on the head of the murderers. On leaving the society, we became bounty hunters and claimed head after head, bounty after bounty. But at one point, I claimed for myself not just the bounty on the heads of criminals but also, the love and body of a peasant girl.

"She was very pretty to look at, like a peony. She was the illegitimate child of a merchant, her mother a maid in the household. She claimed she loved me; and so she let me know the sinfulness of having an affair.

"It was not accepted in Japanese culture and I feared for the worst. One day, as my friends and I were performing 'our services', a misjudgement caused us to lose the life of a fellow comrade. Another comrade lost his eyesight, another was paralyzed from the incident. We knew it was the end. The bounty we collected from the killing that night was not ample to overwrite the pain inflicted on us from the incident; loss of a friend, and our friends' losses. So, our party disbanded. We went our own ways. I left Kara-Tur, and left Momoko-chan, who was then pregnant. Of course, our trysts had continued for quite some time. We developed feelings for each other, but I couldn't just bring her with me to Amn, into a dangerous new life. This is how I care," he said. "She didn't tell me she was pregnant. Her father came to see me, and demanded I leave his daughter. He didn't seem to know she was pregnant, either. He only knew of our trysts, and I don't expect to see Momoko alive after what has happened. Maybe she lost the child, or maybe she married someone else." Yoshimo ended his story.

Elly, though pleased to know of Yoshimo's heritage and culture, was by no doubts unhappy that Yoshimo had someone in his past, after all. Yet, she felt she was being unfair; didn't she, herself, have Laran, too, in her memory?

Though Yoshimo was talking to her, Elly was lost in her thoughts.

Adventure after adventure, travel after travel, Elly fell deeper and deeper in love with Yoshimo, but feared more about telling him the truth of how she loved him, rather than fearing for her own safety. Minsc and Jaheira understood Elly's plight but decided to let her make her own decisions. Very soon, they had acquired most of the $15,000 gold which was to be paid to the Shadow Thieves in return for their help in getting the party to Spellhold.

One night, at the Graveyard District, Elly and the others encountered the strange woman in black. Elly swiftly rejected the woman's offer. The woman rained curses on the party, seemingly directed at Elly herself, and promising Elly that she would regret allying with the Shadow Thieves, disappeared as rapidly as she had appeared. Jaheira was not wrong in her suspicions, for the woman did not seem very "alive". Viconia suspected that the woman was an undead, referring to the "neither dead nor alive" forms: mummies and vampires made up most of the undead. Keldorn the Paladin affirmed this, to everyone's surprise. There was not a single topic Keldorn would agree on with Viconia. It seemed that he was looking down on Viconia due to "her kind". Yoshimo felt it understandable, saying that he himself was subjected to such treatment in his young days in Kozakura; despite everyone being of the same race, society had caused everyone to look differently at each other. The rich despised the poor and the poor feared the rich and powerful.

Elly returned to Gaelan Bayle, the Shadow Thieves' spokesman with the money, and Gaelan directed her to their leader, Aran Linvail. Aran was a dashing young leader who was engaged to another female assassin. He promptly gave Elly a few tasks to do, which Elly completed without a single complaint. But it was going to Spellhold, that Elly was unprepared for. She would procrastinate the trip again and again, telling Aran the excuse that she had to stock up first. Jaheira found Elly's excuses annoying, and left the party on her own.

Traveling on her own, Jaheira was waylaid by bandits but fought and defeated them easily, sending some of them on their way whereas some died at her hand. She then realized there had been an injured captive, and took him back to Athkatla to his friend at the Docks. Little did she know that for this charitable action, she would get into trouble with Xzar, an old friend of Elly from their earlier travels. Xzar told her that the man she had spoken to earlier was a Harper, a member of the society that he was against, and also a society that Jaheira was from. Maddened that Xzar would urge her to turn against her own "kind", Jaheira got into a fight with the insane mage, who disappeared immediately after that. Sighing, Jaheira started finding her way around the Docks.

As it was getting dark, Jaheira, hoping to find shelter, knocked on the door of a cottage, hearing voices from the window. After calling out to them a number of times, and yet receiving no reply, she found the door unlocked and threw open the door. To her shock, two mages ambushed her, insisting she was "a test from the Master". She struck out at them in self-defense, and they summoned a number of monsters to deal with her. Being a druid, she easily defeated them all. She felt remorseful for her killing of the two apprenti. Bits of their conversation revealed to them they had a cruel master who pulled out the male apprentice, Prebek's toenails over small matters. She wondered about the female apprentice. Had her Master Mage cast ugly spells at her or turned her into a frog princess when his instructions for her to perform had gone wrong?

In her travels with Elly, they had killed. Killed out of self-defense, or killed the evil to maintain the balance between good and evil. But were they murderers? She hoped not.

Quietly and carefully, in the darkness of the night, she made her way back to the Copper Coronet. As she passed the spot where she had brought the man in green to safety, she realized Xzar had really disappeared for good, but the man's friend was still there. She told the man's friend about the apprentice Prebek and questioned why he had in his possession a sword meant for killing Harpers. From their conversation, she realized that the two apprenti she had killed were no other than Xzar's apprenti. Guilt overwhelmed her. However, the man's friend also revealed to her that he was a Harper as well, and Xzar had been responsible in bringing about the deaths of numerous Harpers. He urged her, that should she leave Elly, she would be welcome to join the Harpers as one of them. Jaheira told him she would reconsider, and left the district to return to the Copper Coronet.

Back in her room, Jaheira wept for Khalid and wished he was here with her.

Yoshimo crept back into Elly's room with the information that Jaheira had returned safely. Elly was relieved to hear his news. But she wasn't expecting that he would be making advances to her once more. Gently lying her down on her bed, Yoshimo slowly moved his swift fingers across the laces that kept her robes in place.

It will be over soon, she told herself. You have needs. You love him.

"I love you," she whispered so softly that her words were drowned by the calls of dogs and wolves in the night. This time, she felt the pleasure between her legs, and the passion she had for Yoshimo. Her love for him knew no bounds. As their bodies met, she felt a tingling sensation, like a bee sting, only less painful. She gazed into Yoshimo's eyes, as he had his release and then, shortly after that, exited her.

"That was fast," she said. Yoshimo glanced into her almond eyes and saw the fear in her eyes.

"You worry, don't you?" he asked. Elly gave him a quick nod.

He ran a finger across her bare torso. "You're new at this, Miss Leader. I knew it from the first time we.. ahem," he restricted himself from saying the forbidden word. "No worries, Leader. I can teach you how to pleasure yourself... for now." He held Elly's right hand for a few seconds, guiding her index finger on her most sensitive parts. "And I can also, teach you how to give a male pleasure."

Elly cast him her sweetest smile, "I'll give it my best, 'Teacher'. I won't fail you." She planted her lips on his, giving him the longest kiss she could, until both of them were breathless from the kiss.

"That felt good," Yoshimo told her, whispering into her ear, before giving her earlobe a gentle nip. "Very good for a beginner."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3 Yoshimo's Thoughts**

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Yoshimo was confused about his own feelings.

"Yoshimo," he asked himself, "What are you doing, falling for her?"

He hardly remembered how many times he had slept with the Bhaalspawn. He was Yoshimo, someone who would not fall in love as easily as he set snares for his enemies. Yoshimo was as deadly as his snares; he could kill Elly as easily as he did his enemies.

But he wouldn't, even if Irenicus had let him.

He stared intensely at the Bhaalspawn, deep in slumber before him. Gently, he poked her on the chest. She did not stir.

Yoshimo could have easily claimed her life as she lay, bare before him. Surely she wouldn't have expected her bed lover to stab her with his katana, didn't she?

And he was falling for her, was he not? He moved his fingers across the nakedness of her body, cupping her breasts with his hands. Though she was asleep, her body was responding to his touch. She twitched in her sleep, her breaths getting heavier. He could already feel the wetness between her legs. Elly stirred and sat up on th bed. She groggily stared at him for a few seconds before her consciousness of what was actually happening hit her. Desire was overwhelming her once more, and, casting him the most innocent smile she could manage, she spread her legs, inviting him in.

Yoshimo pondered. She was already his prey, as long as they were not on the battlefield or on quests. He was Leader now, not she. In the bedroom, she would always yield to his desires, satisfy him to the fullest. And, she would get her just deserts, if she was really the one who had murdered his sister.

He released an evil laugh inside him, and pushing her down, swiftly entered her. She was his, always his, and he would have her to his own advantage. If she died, he had his revenge. And if she survived the ordeal, she would be his slave. He laughed evilly at the thought, forcing himself deeper inside her, delving in and out of her, until he had enough pleasure. Then, a thought struck him.

What if it wasn't her who had killed Tamoko? And worse, what if she, like Momoko, got pregnant?

Yoshimo was very sure that the Bhaalspawn knew naught about the white liquid that had gushed into her earlier. She made no move to question him either. Worse, she could have been a virgin. The thoughts injected fear into the bounty hunter, like a mind flayer inflicting fear into his brain. His conscience, and the two younger sisters he had left, would have not permitted for him to hurt Elly in this way, especially if she wasn't the one who had killed Tamoko.

And what if Tamoko had been the one to try to hurt Elly first? He shrugged off the thought immediately. NO, he told himself. _My sister has always been innocent. She never even allowed me to even hurt a rabbit! _The mere thought of Tamoko trying to kill Elly scared him. For years, he had believed that his sister had met her true love, but someone killed her and deprived her of her happiness. And that someone, could it be Elly?

Yet Yoshimo had to admit, painstakingly, that he enjoyed making love to Elly. Well, significantly more than to Momoko. Though she had given him her maidenhead, she was but a slave in stature, was she not? And Elly was real. Though naive, she WAS a heroine. She had actually focused her mind in casting spells that brought the downfall of the evil. She was no fool, despite her naiveness. Intelligence was a dominant characteristic of the spellcasters. And she had worked hard to be what she was today. She was not thin, and not strikingly beautiful, but she had a kind heart. Someone that deserved a true love.

He sighed and, lying down beside her, let sleep claim him.

Sunlight danced through the windows. Elly struggled to wake herself up. Seeing that Yoshimo was still asleep, she gave him a soft and gentle poke. Yoshimo gave a grunt, like a bear, and opened his eyes. "Miss Leader-" he began.

Elly cut him off. "No 'leader' in bed," she said. "It's 'Elly'. No one but Elly."

"Then," Yoshimo asked wryly, "Who's the leader in bed?"

"Why," Elly giggled innocently, "You of course! You lead me, I follow."

Guilt washed over Yoshimo. Who was he to actually brainwash the girl to give him what he wanted in bed? The girl's adopted father would be turning in his grave if he could see her being so easily manipulated by a man who was prone to betray her in the first place. To trust a man she barely knew, to the extent of giving him something that the females of his homeland deemed so precious. If only she wasn't a Bhaalspawn, he thought. Then probably she would have been happily married to someone she loved.

And yet, he desired this Bhaalspawn. To serve him.. to satisfy him.. to give him all what he needed as a man. He felt weak for being controlled by his desire. He was the mighty Yoshimo! Momoko would have just fallen at his feet, renounced everything in her life to serve him to the fullest. And he hadn't desired Momoko at all, having seen her as a mere tool for sexual gratification. But did he love the Bhaalspawn?

This was what he feared. And if he did, would the Bhaalspawn destroy him for his betrayal? He got up from the bed and into his leathers. Casually he glanced over his shoulder at his naive leader. Here she was, exhibiting her lovely, happy-go-lucky character, when soon, lives would be at stake. That is, provided she did kill Tamoko, and he had betrayed her to Irenicus.

Humming a tune, Elouise Cyrianna slipped into her mage robes. Beneath the layers of silk and lace, she wore no undergarments. She had always dreaded wearing undergarments, as she felt they added heat to the rising temperatures, and made her feel way too feminine. And, without any undergarments, Yoshimo had found it easier to undress her.

At the ground level of the inn, where the group were having their breakfast, Jaheira had again her haughty air about her, as if she had forgotten she had left them nights before. Maybe she had only forgot the time the party had saved her from death, and from Ployer's curse. A slaver by the name of Baron Ployer, who Jaheira and her fellow Harpers had brought to justice, had cursed her sick and silly. She had lost her senses for a period of time, till Elly herself had made her way to the Government ward to track down Terrece, a corrupted Cowled Wizard involved in Jaheira's cursing. Elly had bribed the wizard to back down in his assistance, which however, had taken a length of time to persuade. So Yoshimo had her don the skimpy garments of a harlot, and Terrece had been taken by the sight of her baring bits of her skin here and there, and finally relented, but not till he had her to his heart's content. He hadn't ravaged her, but he had violated her unexpectedly with his slender and nimble fingers.

Elly had cried repeatedly to Yoshimo in the night, and Yoshimo had been apologetic for letting her approach Terrece alone. Yoshimo had said, however, that she had been fortunate he had not raped her in the secluded spot they had met. But what he had done to her was chargable as molest; and bribing a Cowled Wizard was punishable by law. As her 'crime' had outweighed that of Terrece, what Elly could do was just to endure the pain, as Yoshimo treated her bruises with vials of liquid ointment. Little did Elly know was that Yoshimo had his revenge on Terrece. He had ambushed Terrece one night when the wizard was heavily drunk; the power of his backstab causing damage that had overridden the mage's minor damage to him. After all, who could cast spells effectively while drunk? He had pocketed the mage's valuables and let him go, but he didn't expect the mage to survive the poison from the dagger he used as a secret weapon in ambushing.

Elly's violation by Terrece was what had led to Yoshimo advancing on her for the second time. It had been rushed; she barely remembered what had happened that night. It had lasted barely an hour. She was in a depressive state after Terrece's molest, and he had shown her to a secluded river away from the bustling city. There and then, they gave in to their respective needs. He had taken her right at the river bank, just as she had enough of skinny-dipping in the waters. Elly's laugh had been music to his ears. She loved his caress, returning it with passionate kisses.

He kept their trysts as secretive as possible, often after everyone had gone to bed. At times, he had made haste while doing her; other times, he did her as many times as he could, some times rough and some times gentle. What surprised him was how she never at least gave him a single complaint or grumble. Yoshimo wondered what it was that drove them both to desire. The Bhaalspawn was far from attractive; she did look appealing at times, that was when he had her all dressed up for 'major' events. Her beauty had been far from Jaheira's, and she was a little bit on the plump side, while Jaheira was thin and petite. However, he couldn't help but admit he was into "a little bit of meat". Harlots, skinny as they were, were an eyesore to him. Elly had an innocent yet pleasant-looking visage; he had enjoyed staring into her eyes while she was looking into "space". He liked the dreamy look on her eyes, and the confused stare she would give him whenever she had been daydeaming and had not paid attention to his questions. He found her cute.

"Friends," she addressed the group suddenly, "My loyal companions. Shall we..." she stammered, trying to maintain her composure, "Shall we go to Spellhold?"

Silence filled the air.

Spellhold was the prison that the Cowled Wizards of Athkatla had for the "magically deviant", as they called them. The prisoners were mostly insane, conquered by the arcane magic in their veins, powers they could not even control, which had caused them to go berserk; hence the term _deviants _were used in reference for them. Irenicus and Imoen had been mistaken for deviants as well.

As Elly herself was a practitioner of arcane magic, she feared the prison. The walls and magical bars of each cell, would it contain her and her magic? Would she be unable to flee the prison, and lose herself inside? And she had procastinated. She feared the worst would happen to her and her friends. Minsc and Jaheira had been unhappy about Elly's procastination, but only Jaheira had the courage and determinance to shout it out.

"Elly," she snapped. "How much longer are WE going to wait for our indecisive leader to actually decide when to go on the mission to rescue the girl she grew up with?"

Elly gulped. Jaheira went on yelling, went on ranting. Eventually, Minsc came to Elly's aid, and calmed down Jaheira with his unpredictable antics. "Jaheira!" he shouted amusingly, "WE ARE causing a SCENE! And Boo loves it."

The hamster squeaked in unison.

"Boo says...OFF to Aran Linvail!" Minsc yelled, heads turning in his direction.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4 What Happened in Brynnlaw**

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Saemon Havarian appeared to be in his early thirties. He was not very tall, and neither was he handsome. He had dark eyes that seemed to follow your every moment. Elly knew he was not a man to be trusted. "Be on your guard," she whispered to the party. She noted Saemon's alcohol-filled breath, and shuddered, imagining him holding a dagger to her throat and robbing the party of their gear and valuables.

What in the world was Aran Linvail doing, entrusting them to a drunken sailor's care? What if they died instead of completing the mission? Nevertheless, Aran had clarified with her why he had Gaelan approach her in the first place. Aran needed her help. Perhaps Saemon was his only link that could help them get to Spellhold.

Back at Irenicus' lair, the ambush by the Shadow Thieves had allowed them to escape. And that time, she hadn't known they were thieves, mistaking them for ninja assassins, as she heard from stories her adopted father, Gorion had told her to put her to sleep at night. _The ninja assassins were dressed in black, their katanas gracing the moonlight as they slashed their enemies' throats mercilessly..._ She recalled Gorion's voice, narrating the legend of Akane and her accomplices, an evil female ninja assassin turned good out of love. The love story of Akane had always struck disbelief in her ears. Akane had fell in love with and married one of her accomplices, the sneaky and sly ninja Kaito, who turned out to be a secret agent sent by the palace. Kaito also happened to be the king's long-lost son, and it was a happily-ever-after ending for the two of them, as Kaito eventually took his father's place on the throne.

Aran Linvail had told her about how his guild members were slowly decreasing, and that a woman, who she suspected was the strange woman in black at the Graveyard the other night, had been leading attacks against his people. Elly gave him her promise that she would get to the truth behind the woman and her connection to Irenicus, as it was suspected the woman was in cahoots with her captor. Recalling her conversation with the strange woman, she suspected the woman knew something about Irenicus.

There was another passenger on Saemon's boat - a rather demure-looking young woman known as Sime. Like Elly, Sime showed no trust in Saemon; it was evident she, herself, did not like Saemon very much. Elly did not question the woman what business she had at Brynnlaw but heeded her warning to be wary of Saemon. The nights were cold; and she felt lucky, having Yoshimo to hold her close. The warmth of his fiery and passionate kisses were more than enough to keep her energized and on her alert for the next few days of sailing.

Soon, the boat landed at the island of Brynnlaw. To Elly's utmost surprise, the island was inhabited by pirates. Saemon muttered something about being underpaid and disappeared from the scene shortly after roping his boat by the docks. "What is this," Elly grumbled, "He disappears just like this without a word?"

"I couldn't had expected anything better," Sime said. "But something sounds amiss.."

Their conversation was interrupted by a rustling from the bushes. Out of nowhere, a group of vampires appeared, a female vampire leading the attack on the group. "Vampires?" Sime muttered. "Don't tell me Havarian has anything to do with this!"

"Yaaaaaa!" Minsc roared, slashing at the vampires with his sentient sword. In his berserk state, he was immune to their Charm ability. "Nature's servant awaits," Jaheira said calmly as she speared vampire after vampire, while Elly flicked fireballs in their faces, burning holes in the pale flesh. Yoshimo hid in the shadows, backstabbing them while they were unaware of him lurking behind them.

"Your stealthiness has improved, Bounty Hunter," Jaheira commented. "Good for you."

Yoshimo smiled and then said coolly, "You aren't doing too bad yourself, Miss Jaheira. With such gracious beauty, the men would be more than grateful to die at your hands."

Jaheira ignored him, and focused her energy on spearing the enemies to death.

"So he just ran off and left us to our supposed 'demise'," Sime pronounced coldly.

"Perhaps he had it planned," Elly suggested.

"Another mug of ale, please," Jaheira said to the bartender in charge of the tavern known as the Vulgar Monkey. They were joined at their table by a mage dressed in green, who introduced himself as Sanik. Sanik, who was in his late twenties, was here to redeem his bride, Claire. They had met during his previous trip to Brynnlaw, where he had frequented Lady Galvena's Festhall, a brothel where Claire worked as a courtesan.

He had barely finished speaking when an assassin lunged towards Sanik, aiming for his throat. However, agile as he was, the assassin was no match for Yoshimo, and he fell to the floor of the tavern, breathing his last.

The sailors in the next table screamed in shock. "What's happening? Murder in my tavern?" the bartender exclaimed. "Lady Galvena has really gone too far!" the sailors chimed in.

"There should be a way to rescue Claire," Elly said. "She can't be safe with Galvena trying to get an assassin to kill Sanik."

Jaheira agreed. "We have to save her from the claws of that witch. What good is there knowing someone is in trouble and not being able to help her?"

Minsc nodded as well. "We must set off as soon as possible!"

"Why not now?" Yoshimo asked, slyly. "In for some fun tonight?"

Sanik faced Elly. "Please, bring her here safely in one piece," he pleaded. "She means so much to me."

"I know how you feel," said Elly. "I, as the leader of the group, give you my promise."

"Thank you," said Sanik, and bade them farewell.

Elly and the others had no problems in getting to the Festhall, which was but a short walking distance from the tavern itself. At the door, two courtesans, one male and one female awaited their chances in landing themselves a customer.

"We'll have to find a way to get in, first," said Elly. "Looks like we have to buy their services."

Boldly she approached the male courtesan, whose face seemed to light up almost immediately. "Here for a night?" he asked. "With your mates?"

Elly nodded. "We're tired. We need entertainment tonight. Will you be of service?"

The young man looked confused.

"Ah," Elly said, mischief glinting in her eye, "Body services. Sensual pleasure. My, aren't you a cutie. I can't wait to see you at your best later. Feeling excited, boy?"

The courtesan seemed nervous at the point and stared up at down at the six travellers. Beads of perspiration appeared on his forehead. Yoshimo snickered, enjoying the sight of Elly stressing the young courtesan.

"State your price," Elly said firmly, putting an end to the teasing.

"One-one hundred gold," he stammered.

Elly reached into her knapsack and extracted a hundred and fifty gold pieces. "Here you go," she said, flashing him one of her most mesmerizing smiles. "And a nice tip."

"Thank you, lady," the courtesan gulped.

The courtesan led the group to a brightly lit room lightly decorated with flowers of various kinds. Once inside, Elly pulled the lad close to her, and whispered in his ear, "Now, now, don't you fret. We're not here for entertainment or for your services." She then added, "We are here for Claire."

"Cl-aire?" the courtesan repeated, dumbstruck. "Is that your main purpose in coming...here?"

Elly gave a firm nod. "Yes, indeed. And we don't plan to stop at just Claire," she announced in a loud whisper. "We are going to stop that evil witch, and kill her if we must."

"Which means the courtesans will be freed?" the lad asked in a low voice. "Including me?"

"Yes, and yes," Elly answered. "Boy, your dreams have been answered."

"Ethan," the young man stretched out his hand and Elly took it in hers, giving him a firm handshake. "I'm Elouise. Call me Elly."

He could be no more than seventeen, a young man tall for his age. Slender he was, that Elly wondered if Galvena had been depriving him of his meals. "Could you stay here till the job is done? At least, hide, so I know you're safe."

Seeing how this stranger cared for him, Ethan nodded. "I will," he said.

The party stepped out of the room, and into the next hallway, fighting through the guards. As the last of the guards fell, Elly heard the tinkling of metal. "The key!" Jaheira exclaimed, "we need it to get to Galvena!"

"And Claire," Elly reminded her. They rushed to the door at the end of the hallway. Yoshimo swiftly turned the key in the lock, and the door opened. They then found themselves in what appeared to be a cellar, but was in fact where Galvena had Claire locked up.

"Mistress Galvena," a young woman's voice pleaded, "Why can't you let me go? I have served you for years, brought you much of your wealth. I have served you well."

The older woman, who was in her forties, let out an evil laugh. "I can let you go, Claire," she said, "with your death."

The young woman looked alarmed. "But I don't want to die, Mistress.. What have I done wrong?"

Galvena pointed a bony finger at Claire. "You will always serve me," she snarled, "You will only be free at your death. Never you worry, my dear. Your beloved husband awaits you in hell."

Claire slumped to the floor in shock. "Sanik...dead? NO... He can't be dead!" she wailed. "No!"

Galvena turned to a man beside her. "End her life now, Vadek."

"Yes, madam," Vadek said loyally. He raised his staff, about to cast. Claire shut her eyes promptly; readying herself for death.

Just then, a Magic Missile spell hit the unprepared mage in the chest, causing multiple damage and also causing him to lose his concentration in his spellcasting. A bullet from Jaheira's sling hit Galvena perfectly in the eye. Galvena staggered, holding her right hand protectively before her eye. "Who is there?" she yelled, furious.

"Elouise Cyrianna, your bane," Elly announced, courageously. "Finally, you know your time is over, old hag. Time to report to the Grim Reaper."

The woman's face turned red in rage. Elly added, "I am sorry to inform you that your weakling's assassination attempt on Sanik the Mage _has failed_." She placed emphasis on the words 'has failed', adding a sharp tone to the words. "I have sent that useless fellow on his way to hell, now it's time for his mistress to join him."

Minsc roared in amusement. "Your evil ways are over, OLD WOMAN!" he cried amidst tears of joy. "And you, mage, you can choose whether to go down with your madame or to beg us to spare your life!"

"Don't worry, I had him silenced already," Elly laughed. "He won't be able to answer you, Minsc. Shall we sell him to a brothel?"

Vadek shuddered, ashamed of being overpowered by a female more than half his age, and at the same time, further intimidated by the idea of becoming a male prostitute. He fell to his knees. _I want to live, _he tried to say, but no words came out.

"Get out," Elly yelled at him, pushing him towards the door. "Don't you let us see your pathetic face again!" _Serves him right for not having a Vocalize spell handy_, she thought. The amulet Aran had presented her gave her the ability to vocalize, so if she happened to be silenced, she could still cast spells as normal.

Galvena knew she could not escape, and before she knew it, the floor beneath her had given way. Actually, someone had pounced on her and pushed her onto the floor with her weight. Elly was stunned that the person who had jumped on Galvena was no other than Claire. Seizing Vadek's dagger which had dropped on the floor, she stabbed Galvena in the chest, crying, "You evil woman!"

Galvena pushed the woman aside with her strength, and the petite young woman crashed headalong to the floor. Keldorn hastily helped her up. "Are you all right?" he asked. The woman nodded weakly, and all of a sudden, Galvena fell as well.

Elly had just finished casting her spell. A spell of dark magic, that threatened every soul's existence. _Finger of death, _it was called.

"Necromancy works wonders," she told Claire. "She won't be able to threaten you or Sanik any longer."

"Hey," Minsc protested, as they left the cellar and headed down the hallway. "You never even gave me a chance to fight at all!"

Elly stopped walking for a few seconds, and then she smiled. "Minsc dear, I will. Very soon. Will you like to have the honour of defeating Irenicus?"

Minsc could feel his muscles stiffening at the mere mention of the name of their captor.

"We will have our revenge, even if not this time," Elly promised. "One day, he will return to us what he had taken from us."

"No, he can't," a female voice said. "He can't return to us who he has taken from us."

They continued towards Ethan's room in silence.

Minsc led the group plus Ethan and Claire, with his head held high, towards the Vulgar Monkey where Sanik was waiting. To their surprise, he had another man with him, who he introduced as his newfound friend Golin, who Elly assumed to be a high-ranking captain from his appearance and style of dressing.

"If you really wish to get to Spellhold," Golin said, "there are two ways. One is through a crazy Cowled Wizard, Perth the Adept. He lives in the north of town. And the other way is through the Pirate King, Desharik. You'll need to convince him somehow that you are magically deviant. In short, insane."

Spellhold was the prison for the magically deviant owned by the Cowled Wizards, wasn't it? Elly thought. So naturally, only a Cowled Wizard or someone of authority could have access to it, or could send someone there, she told herself. So the pirate king must be someone big, huh?

Elly turned to Minsc. "So tomorrow morning shall we go to Perth the Adept, and check him out? I know you are eager for some fun!"

Minsc replied, "Not me, Elly. Me AND BOO!"

"Okay, you and Boo!"

They retired to their rooms in the tavern. Due to inadequate rooms in the small tavern, Minsc and Keldorn shared a room, Jaheira and Viconia another, whereas Yoshimo had ended up sharing a room with Elly. _Perhaps_, Elly thought, _the night is still young after all._


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5 More in Brynnlaw**

"Trouble," the messenger said, chokingly. "Trouble, Miss Sime! Trouble in Brynnlaw! Trouble-"

Sime Havarian gave the dwarf a tight slap across the face. "Gordion, out with it," she said firmly. "What has actually happened in Brynnlaw?"

"Lady Galvena is no more," said the dwarf, panting for breath. "I encountered a stampede of courtesans coming from the Festhall. Even Vadek has fled."

"Off you go," Sime said, tossing him a gold piece. "Shoo, shoo, shoo!"

The dwarf ran as fast as his short legs could carry him, out of the room.

Saemon threw back his head and laughed. "This, by no doubt, is the work of the Bhaalspawn!"

"She wasn't at all that hard to trick," Sime decided. "But, will she pose a threat?"

"Well, if she does, eventually we have Yoshimo to handle this, don't we?"

"My dear brother," Sime addressed sweetly, "Don't you forget Yoshimo is working for Irenicus on his own accord, and not linked to us directly?"

"No," Saemon said, "He will cooperate with us regarding the Bhaalspawn very soon." He laughed again.

"How can that be?" Sime demanded.

"Patience, my dear sister, patience."

The flames in the fireplace crackled as they spoke.

Elly gazed lovingly at the sparkle in Yoshimo's eyes. "Are you in the mood for anything special tonight?" she asked hopefully.

Yoshimo smiled menacingly, and instead of replying, reached for the lace holding her robes together. He drew her close, and rubbed her sensitive parts with his left hand as he undid her lace skilfully with the other. He was turning her on, and she could feel the heat in her veins.

With much difficulty, she unbuckled Yoshimo's leathers and climbed on top of him, to his surprise. She held in her hands the part of him that dominated his needs, and began rubbing it. It hardened at her touch, and before he knew it, she was straddling him, stifling moans of sensual pleasure.

It was the first time she had tried this position on him, Yoshimo thought. And she was enjoying every bit of it. As soon as Elly had tired herself out of the position, Yoshimo instinctively lifted her off him and placed her in a kneeling position so that her buttocks faced him. He then wildly penetrated her from the back, casually inserting a few of his fingers inside her for additional pleasure. Elly was about to open her mouth to protest at the sudden outburst; he was doing her like there was no tomorrow. However, she feared that by doing so, she would disturb Jaheira, who was sleeping in the next room, and the others would find out. So she kept quiet, and gave in to her own personal needs. Her wetness coated his organ, dripping onto the bedsheets.

Yoshimo began to add more force to his actions, as if not sparing a single thought for Elly. She noted he was going harder on her, and rougher. While he was hurting her, she found the pain inflicted on her actually adding to the pleasure he had given her. While she loved him, she wanted him to hurt her. She enjoyed being hurt by the man she loved, though she didn't understand why. She desired to feel him inside her as they merged into one, to feel his roughness and his heartlessness, his selfishness, and his greed. She felt she loved him more, and wanted him inside her more than ever. He groped her breast with his other hand, igniting a flame in the desire in her that burned more intensely than ever as he played with the small bud. She climaxed, and he climaxed, as well, and following his eventual release, his organ went limp, and they lay down in bed, kissing and fondling each other passionately.

Elly soon found herself lost in the galaxy within his eyes, and drifted into a heavy slumber.

Morning was here before she had knew it. She knew what they had to do; pay a visit to Perth the Adept, and perhaps the Pirate King if required to. Yoshimo was already getting into his leathers, in fact, he was lacing up his boots. A basin lay on the dresser at the side of their bed. Elly washed herself and got dressed as quickly as she could. She didn't want to keep the others waiting, for fear they would suspect something.

It was already suspicious that she would be sharing a room with Yoshimo. Jaheira took no interest in the matter, as she and Minsc knew of Elly's infatuation for Yoshimo. The married Keldorn did not bother either, and neither did Viconia, who could not have cared more about Elly's well-being. Elly and Yoshimo had decided on sharing a room, as Elly was not comfortable with Jaheira's snores keeping her awake, and Keldorn was not comfortable either sleeping with someone he considered 'of evil nature', as he viewed those associated with the Shadow Thieves or Gaelan. Yoshimo had been a close friend of Gaelan's.

They rushed through breakfast and headed on their way to the north of the pirate village, to Perth's residence. However, to their dismay, Perth was as Golin had said, truly insane, to the point that they felt he was the one who should have been sent to Spellhold!

Perth was a lean, sickly looking Cowled Wizard. He had narrow eyes like slits and a very hoarse voice, trembling as he spoke. "Aha, Master. Here is the Bhaalspawn," he said, probably speaking to himself or an unseen force. "Just as you described. Master, I will have the Bhaalspawn's limits tested and see them for myself!"

Yoshimo said with a firm voice, "There will be no testing with Mighty Yoshimo around!"

"Ah," Perth said with a sneer, "How _inconsequential_."

"He seems to be Dominated," Jaheira said. "Look at those eyes."

Viconia affirmed Jaheira's deduction. "Yes, very likely."

"Let's attack, Boo!" Minsc yelled. "For Elly's safety!"

Perth was no easy opponent. He casually threw spells at them without a care. To subdue him, Elly had to break through his spell protections first. Jaheira kept her distance from him, as he had Keldorn the Paladin mazed; that is, to be thrown temporarily into another dimension. Yoshimo hid in the shadow and backstabbed Perth. Finally, Elly killed him off with a series of Magic Missile spells. Then, they had to handle his clone, which he had conjured up magically. The clone was not as proficient as its original copy, so as soon as the battle was over, Keldorn returned.

"How was the trip?" Minsc asked.

"Very, very confusing," Keldorn replied. "And very dark. I could practically see nothing but stars."

They then searched the body for the wardstone, but however, it had been destroyed during the fight. There it lay, in Perth's clothes, broken into two. "Perhaps it had already been broken by the person who Dominated Perth," Jaheira said.

Dejectedly, Elly pocketed Perth's spell scrolls and jewels and left the place. "Perhaps, we have to go to the Pirate King then," she said. As they walked, a little boy knocked into Jaheira, who realized he had stolen her pouch. Quickly, Yoshimo, who was the fastest among them, stopped the boy and demanded his money back. The boy pleaded, saying that he would be beaten up if he didn't have money to bring back with him.

"He must be a slave," Elly said. "You were present when we raided the Slave Ship back at Athkatla. Let him go, and take him somewhere safe."

Keldorn offered to take him to the tavern. Then the boy begged Elly, "Please, Madam, my sister is in need of help too. You can find her east of here."

"Very well," Elly said, "I will go to help your sister. Keldorn, perhaps you could put him up at your room? He needs a proper rest to recover from what has happened."

She turned to Minsc, Jaheira and Viconia. "Perhaps, it would be better if I went to see her with Yoshimo. Three makes a crowd, doesn't it? I wouldn't like to frighten the lad's sister. You must be tired, what about having a rest at the tavern?"

"You are right," Jaheira agreed. "Minsc, Vic, let's go."

"Her leadership knows no bounds," Elly whispered to Yoshimo, giggling like a schoolgirl. Yoshimo nodded. They headed over to the direction the boy had given them. Just then, someone hopped over to them silently, and gave Yoshimo a tap.

"Why, it's Ethan," Elly smiled at the teenager. "My, your actions were fast. So, how have you been? You were in such a rush to leave after Claire had been reunited with Sanik."

"Ah, Miss Elly, it was a long story," Ethan began. "Well, I returned home, but it seems all that is left of my family is just our dog. You see, my parents died when I was a baby. I only had my grandfather and my uncle to take care of me, but my grandfather fell sick so I went to find a job at Galvena's as a waiter to raise money for his medicine. They had me tricked; and I was forced into becoming a courtesan. Galvena had my uncle murdered, and it seems that, well, Grandpa has left the world." He looked sad when he made the remark. "Well, let's hope he rests in peace."

"Now, now, " Elly patted him on the shoulder, "Don't brood on this too much. I know you are sad with their deaths, but then, as long you are safe and sound, they should be happily enjoying themselves in Heaven, shouldn't they be? So, work hard in your life, be happy, and they should be happy too, eh?"

Ethan smiled weakly. "Yes, I will learn to smile in the greatest storms. But, I really wish to leave this place."

"Hmmm," Elly thought. She turned to Yoshimo, "Perhaps we will have some space on Saemon's boat after our return from Spellhold?"

"Probably," Yoshimo said. "Youngster," he addressed the teenager, "If you really wish to leave Brynnlaw, could you wait for us at the tavern till we return from Spellhold? We have rooms there; you could live in one of them."

Ethan's eyes gleamed. "Yes, I will! Thank you, Master Yoshimo!"

And in a flash, he was gone.

"Eh, I didn't say now..." Elly grumbled. "That fast kid. He's going to bring us nothing but troubles."

"Bet it'll never stop," Yoshimo agreed. "And Elly, do you think that woman standing there over in the corner is the woman we are looking for?"

They walked towards the woman, and before they had even said anything, she was on her knees, begging them for money. Elly firmly raised her to her feet. "We women have dignity," she said. "Perhaps you could tell us the problem. We may be able to get you out of your poor condition. And, do you have a little brother who is forced to steal from others?"

The woman was taken aback, and scrutinizing Elly closely, she noted that Elly was not of Brynnlaw. "Lady, you are not of this place. Could it be that you would be able to release me from my plight?"

"Yes, I may," said Elly crossly. "I am one of them who caused the downfall of Galvena's Festhall, and I'm not proud of it, either. Evil people will have their downfall someday. Now, how would I be able to be of assistance?"

The woman, introducing herself as Ginia, began her sob story of how she and her brother, Ason had been civilians until the pirate lord and his pirates had attacked the island and taken over the position of the ruler by war. The pirates desired women, and following Ginia's father's killing, her younger brother, Ason had been kidnapped by a pirate, Chremy, and he had threatened her with Ason's life and making her work as a harlot, but she resorted to begging instead. Ginia then begged Elly to rescue her and Ason by searching for a smuggler by the name of Calahan. Elly agreed.

They ran into Chremy, who however died instantaneously with the casting of a Chromatic Orb spell, which was liable to cause an instant death to weak and unlucky victims. They then found Calahan nearby, and Elly paid him handsomely (actually quite cheaply, as compared to previous bribes Elly had handled) to smuggle the siblings out of town. "I'll get someone from the tavern to send Ason to you later," Elly promised. They returned to Ginia with the good news.

Elly gathered the party, and with Golin's name, they managed to obtain entrance to the pirate king's home. Yoshimo sensed something amiss when the pirate king requested to have a talk to Elly alone.

Desharik, in his early thirties was well-built and dashing, electrifying every woman he met with his gaze. Knowing that he was facing Elouise Cyrianna, heroine of the Sword Coast, he was amazed that Elly was not one of the women who fell to his feet with their feet wide open. Elly only had eyes for Yoshimo.

Fearing for Desharik's safety, one of his guards tried to search her, but Elly kicked him instead and hit him with her staff. "Hands off her," Desharik hissed. "I will search her myself for any secret weapons under her clothes. Now, everybody, please leave us."

Yoshimo left, uneasy and bracing himself for the worst. Minsc and the others, having faith in their leader, left the room with Yoshimo, the guards and servants following behind them.

Elly tried to evade Desharik, but he had her pinned to the wall without any difficulty.

"No secret weapons, my lord, I swear," Elly said truthfully. "I can disrobe if you don't believe me."

"Do it, then, if you dare," Desharik sneered. "Because I don't believe."

His hands off her, Elly let her robes slip to the floor. She felt she was lucky today for wearing her undergarments, so Desharik would not have to see her nude. "No secret weapons," she said.

Desharik stared with disbelief at this young woman, who seemed to be unafraid of him and worse, did not even fear him one single bit. "Okay, what do you want, woman?" he asked.

"I want to get to Spellhold," she told him. "And I will see that you will be handsomely rewarded upon my return."

"Such arrogance!" Desharik said. "I have more money than I could ever spend." He grabbed her across the waist, holding her to him. Elly could feel his hardness through her thin undergarments. She struggled in shock. Desharik ignored her struggles, knowing that she, as a spellcaster, and unarmed at that, would not be able to get herself loose.

"Now, show me something. Something of yours. I won't have you today, as Cayia is on her way back. But at least I need to ensure myself on what I will get. Now. Let me see what I invested in," he said charmingly, his eyes glimmering with greed and lust.


End file.
